A melancholic stillness whispers silently through the trees, sharing secrets with every passing tree. When it reaches the dormant lake, it mirrors the mountains above with every drop of water. Absorbing the reflection of the green shades of colour from the leaves, they make the perfect replica for us to wonder which is real. The only reassurance is the immensity of the embracing blue sky above that gently pushes a few white clouds through its naked openness. It becomes the bed on which the sun lays, diffusing the blue to mix with its spreading light. The cold spring wind awakens the thought with its touch, enveloping it with the shuffling sound of the brushing leaves. With the help of the constant calm movements of the lonely trees, the sun breaks its light to imitate their outline as shadows on the rocky ground. It’s not noticeable at first, to see the puzzle of light and shadow follow the pace of the wind. But the more the view is admired, the more the picture is detailed, the more the place is inhaled, it becomes obvious that in every silence beauty dances to the rhythm of moment. Underneath our crammed feet, an unstable rock protects us from the water. We had jumped from the shore to land above it, letting the shallow deep blue water surround us. A stream of sunlight emerges from the barrier of trees behind, as our standing bodies imprint their silhouettes on the bare surface of the lake. Our coordinated breathing unify with the whispering breeze, inviting us to become part of the imposing scene. Every detail participates with equal importance to merge the pieces together: the sun hitting the towering trees, the aging trunks and clapping leaves leading their shadows to conceal the rocks and grass through their path, and finally reaching the sleeping immense body of water where we stand stupefied by the overwhelming picture around us. “I feel so little,” she mumbles softly, not directing her thought at me but allowing her voice to speak out. Each of us drawing in her own admiration separately, yet a perpetual bond was gifted to us through our common feeling of aspiring fragility. “It’s like time is frozen still,” I feel my mouth contribute to her past thought. Allowing my voice to continue, I say, “It’s letting the picture put its pieces together”. Her sigh answers agreeing, and again we are absorbed into the moment. “Remember when we first started being friends?” She asks. Without expecting an answer she continues, “It’s funny to imagine how fast we’ve been thrown with time to land in this exact instant”. With a nod of agreement I answer, “Maybe we’re realizing now, even if we already cared for each other before, how grateful we really are”. We stepped away from the suspended rock and slowly walked away from the scene. “I know it might sound bad, but I appreciate you a lot more now,” she says. I turn my head to face her as my hand reaches in my purse to find my cigarettes. “I feel the same way. Want one?” I answer, offering her a smoke. We were making our way back, leaving the perfect shared moment suspended like a dream on the lake and between the trees. Silently smoking, we let it become part of our past while we walk away. Yet the memory of our mutual realization as the surrounding beauty strengthened our friendship will always remain within me. The importance of appreciating each other while admiring the moment is what makes her my best friend, my sister.
